SULAIMANI (ESTA) — Iranian foreign ministry said on Saturday raising Kurdistan’s flag during a visit by the Region’s president to Iran was a “mistake”, after the country faced criticism from some Iraqi politicians.
Kurdistan Region President Nechirvan Barzani visited Tehran on Thursday to attend the swearing-in ceremony of President Ebrahim Raisi.
The Kurdistan flag could be seen alongside Iran’s flag when he was welcomed by Iranian officials at the airport. Some Iraqi officials began criticizing Iran for raising the flag without the Iraqi banner.
Spokesman of Iran’s foreign ministry Saeed Khatibzadeh said raising the flag was a “mistake by the executive welcoming the team stationed at the airport”.
“Iran has always respected the territorial unity and integrity of Iraq and has an unchangeable policy in this regard,” he told reporters.
Kurdish people reacted to raising Kurdistan flag in Tehran in the absence of the Iraqi banner, seeing it significant. It was also noted by the Kurdistan Region Presidency in a post to its official Facebook page.
